Toxic

by Eve Langlais

  The body under me softened, and when I felt the erection poking at me, I knew he was mine. I gave one last suck, then released him.

  As I stood, a familiar scent drifted past my nose and my most recent attempt to cure my frustration was washed away in an instant. I ignored the urge to turn and look at him. I had more pressing business to attend to.

  The shifters surrounding my makeshift battleground fell silent. Shock and disbelief shone in their faces.

  “Is there anyone else who wishes to challenge me?” I gazed around, but nobody would meet my eyes. “Then I hereby declare myself leader of all the clans for the upcoming battle.” I could sense their misery at my words, their shame. I took a little pity on them. I’d gotten what I wanted, control of their clans. Now, I would give them back a bit of dignity. “Because of my many duties both now in preventing the incursions and the upcoming battle, I have decided to choose one among you to act as my lieutenant. You will obey his orders as if they came from my mouth or face my punishment. Rise Ursic.” My servile bond with the werebear gave me many things, including his name, and the fact he liked Chinese food.

  His eyes still looked about somewhat vaguely, but at my proffered hand to help him up, he shook off his daze and bounded up.

  “Ursic, as my lieutenant, I place you in charge of the clans in my absence.” I turned my gaze to the crowd. “Does anyone wish to contest his right to act as my second?”

  As expected, the appointment of one of their own to lead them-after me of course-placated them to a certain extent. More so when Ursic, with a roar no fully human throat could utter, bellowed, “Death to the daemons.”

  And that quickly I went from being surrounded by hostile shifters to back slapping ones.

  I made sure my bafflement at their abrupt change in attitude didn’t show in my face. But I couldn’t stop the flush of heat when a familiar voice whispered in my ear. “We need to talk.”

  Leaving the now celebrating shifters, I strutted away from Rafe, not even sparing him a glance. A part of me feared if I did I’d forget why I’d kicked him out of my life in the first place.

  Stubborn man, his long stride caught him up to me and I forced myself to look ahead instead of to my side where I could sense him-and even worse, smell the unique aroma that tickled my hunger and wetted my panties.

  “Go away,” I muttered.

  “Not until you hear me out.”

  “I am not interested in your excuses.” I also don’t trust myself not to jump your body and take what I want. Although, on second thought maybe I should. The idea had merit for not only would I assuage my lust, I’d discover if my touch was toxic to his kind. But stupid me, I didn’t want to kill him which I didn’t understand. Was I growing sentimental in my old age?

  He grabbed me by the arms and stopped me-completely. I struggled against his grip, but hot damn, even worse than a daemon, the man-make that being-didn’t budge. I didn’t like it one bit. “What the fuck are you?” I refused to look him in the face, keeping my gaze locked on the neckline of his shirt. I knew only too well how lost I could get in his eyes.

  “I’ll tell you, but first can we go somewhere more private.”

  I thought about saying no, but I suspected in a battle of strength the jerk would win. Not exactly something I wanted my subordinates roaming the halls of the castle to see. “Fine. We’ll go to my quarters. But this better be good, or else.” Or else I’ll probably jump you and ride you with a wall shaking scream.

  His grip on me loosened and I led the way through the maze of passages to my suite when I was in residence.

  As soon as I closed the door behind me, I whirled to face him and crossed my arms over my chest, a chest still clad only in a bra. His eyes were drawn to my shadowy cleavage. I wanted to say something snappy, but his intense blue eyes-lens free-rose to meet mine and my mind went blank. Well, not completely. I couldn’t help but notice how freaking delicious he looked. Clad in tight, faded jeans that delineated his package and a body hugging white t-shirt, my mouth went dry and moist heat pooled between my thighs.

  “I really wish you wouldn’t stare at me like that,” he groaned.

  “Like how?” I asked licking my lips.

  He made an inarticulate sound before suddenly appearing right in front of me, his body pushing me backwards until I hit a wall. His lips swooped down to capture mine, and despite the reasons to stop him, I arched into his embrace. I could say all the lies aloud that I wanted. The truth had never changed. I wanted him-bad. He seemed to share the same overwhelming passion, for his kiss took my breath with its intensity.

  His hands skimmed up my bare waist to brush the bottom edge of my sports bra, the skin-to-skin touch electrifying. My breathing hitched, and I moaned as he parted my lips with his tongue. I met his oral thrusts with eagerness, his sweet taste arousing me even more.

  He ground his groin against me, the hardness of his cock evident even through our layers of clothing. I clawed at his shoulders, pulling and tugging at the fabric, desperate to feel his skin against mine.

  Screw undressing, I’d shred the clothes from him. Something about my out of control reaction woke me to what I was allowing. And enjoying.

  I pushed at him and he released me reluctantly. He didn’t move away, though, and he stared down at me with blue glowing eyes. “Don’t,” I said in a soft voice so unlike me.

  My gentle plea creased his face in what I would have sworn was pain. His hands slipped from my body and without their warmth, I shivered. He moved even further away, his stiff back the only sign he held his emotions under strict control. I understood him better now that I’d had time to analyze his actions during our time apart. I knew right now he struggled against his baser-sexual-needs and as per his habit, instead of showing weakness, he walked away to compose himself. Fine by me, for I needed some breathing space to push down my hungers-especially the one for blood made even stronger by my battle with the shifters.

  “I don’t think now is the time for us to talk,” I said when he didn’t turn to face me and stayed silent.

  “Will there ever be a good time?” he replied in a dry tone.

  “I’m hungry,” I said, almost wincing at the plaintive note in my words. “I can’t think straight on an empty belly.”

  “Fine, order in,” he said sitting down and facing me, his placid expression firmly in place.

  “What? Aren’t you going to offer yourself up on the menu?” I quipped.

  “I’m not food.” He said the words flatly.

  When he didn’t budge or say anything else, I got annoyed. Stupid jerk, first he shows up after I make it clear I want nothing to do with him. Then he gets my libido and hunger raging. And does he satisfy at least one of my needs? No. He just sits there.

  He wasn’t the only one who could play mind games. I used my mental link to call one of my castle humans, then I sat down to face him, my own serene expression a match for his.

  “I thought you were hungry.” He eventually said when the silence went past stilted into downright uncomfortable.

  “I am. Dinner should be arriving any minute.” At his raised brow, I said, “Did I forget to mention during your study that all my blood servants share a mental connection with me? Silly me.”

  His jaw tightened. “Seems you forgot to mention a few other items. Or should I say lied.”

  “Oh, the kitty cat thing. I never lied. You asked if I could change into a bat. I can’t.”

  “Semantics,” he growled.

  I smirked in reply.

  The door to my suite swung open and closed shut. I enjoyed the look on Rafe’s face as he got a look at my dinner.

  Anthony, a young, extremely good looking human male strolled into the room and knelt at my feet.

  “Mistress,” he said bowing his head.

  “Come here, my pet,” I said patting the space beside me. The cushion sank lower as Anthony sat beside me. I didn’t turn to look, I was much more interested in the expression on Rafe’s face. He said n
ot a word. He didn’t have to. His tight lips, glittering eyes and the forming tic in his jaw said it all.

  I stood and turned to face Anthony, who gazed up at me with his chiseled perfection, a beauty that did nothing for me but I would use. I straddled Anthony’s lap, enjoying the breath Rafe sucked in. I tossed over my shoulder a casual, “Are you sure you want to stay? As you know, my food sometimes gets frisky when I eat.”

  “Just get it over with,” he replied through what sounded like clenched teeth.

  I gave a throaty chuckle before leaning forward to nuzzle the soft skin of Anthony’s neck. I sank my fangs in, injecting him with my euphoric saliva and adding a push of power to make it extra potent. Anthony groaned aloud and his hands came around my body to cup my buttocks. I didn’t usually allow my food to take liberties with my body; however, I couldn’t help niggling Rafe. Petty perhaps, but then again, I’d never claimed sainthood.

  I listened intently for Rafe’s reaction as I sucked the coppery blood, but Rafe remained silent. Well, that’s no fun. I pushed more power at Anthony along with a naughty thought. The hands on my ass tightened and kneaded my full cheeks. Anthony also began to gyrate his hips against my cleft which was snug against him in my astride position, and I could tell he was very happy to be under me.

  Apparently Rafe wasn’t enjoying the show as much as he had the first time when I’d munched on Annabelle, for I heard him get up and leave, slamming the door behind him.

  I refused to let disappointment claim me; after all, I’d wanted a reaction. I won, but why do I feel like such a loser?

  I pushed away from Anthony who lolled on the couch with a blissful smile on his face and a wet spot on the front of his jeans. Human males were such simple creatures.

  “Get out.” My words were curt, but Anthony didn’t seem to care as he floated out with a dreamy expression. Alone, I paced, hating that a part of me wished Rafe would come back. Even worse, I had to fight an urge to go after him.

  Agitated, I threw myself on my bed in the adjoining room and fell into a restless sleep. A sleep punctuated with dreams of fucking Rafe. Worshipping his body. Screaming in ecstasy even as he thrashed and died beneath me, the toxicity of my love poisoning his body.

  Awake, I might sometimes forget that my touch is deadly to most, but my mind knows better. If only my heart would listen.

  Chapter Nine

  “What the fuck is he doing here?” I ranted. I’d woken up in a foul mood, and having had time to shake off my surprise over seeing Rafe, realized that he’d not appeared in this hidden place by accident.

  “Who are you talking about?” Lily asked as she finished coiffing her hair in an elaborate chignon in front of the mirror.

  “Rafe,” I growled.

  “You mean Dr. Angelus? I invited him, actually,” Lily said with a smile as she turned to face me.

  “You what?” I sputtered. “Why would you do that? He lied to us about being a human and used that lie to get close to us, to examine us. Doesn’t that worry you at all? He could be the enemy, for all you know, gathering intel. What the fuck were you thinking?”

  “He’s not our enemy,” Lily stated with assurance.

  I frowned at her. “And just how can you be sure of that?”

  “Call it intuition.”

  Sometimes Lily could frustrate me, especially when she pulled her all-knowing shit, but even I had to grudgingly admit, thus far, she’d always ended up right. But even if Rafe and his kind weren’t foes, another fact hadn’t changed. “Fine. I won’t throw him in the dungeon, but I still don’t understand why you’d invite him. He’s made it clear his people won’t help us, so I don’t see his use.” And I can’t be around him without wanting to kill him between my thighs.

  “Help or not, I want to know who and what he is.”

  “What? Didn’t your intuition tell you?” I asked sarcastically.

  Lily arched a brow at me and I clamped my lips shut. Friendship only went so far. “I actually have a fair idea of what race he belongs to, but I prefer to deal in absolutes, not conjecture.”

  It didn’t surprise me Lily had an inkling of what species Rafe belonged to. Oldest of all the vampires, her knowledge surpassed several times over what the most learned scholars could claim to know. I’d tried in the past to discover her history, how she came to our lifestyle, but somehow she always managed to evade answering. Liking my head on my shoulders, I’d never pushed the issue.

  “I don’t understand why you need me present while you sate your curiosity,” I complained. I really wanted to leave before he arrived and threw me even more off kilter. Not that I’d fully regained my balance since meeting him. The jerk. I hated the lack of control he created in me.

  “I want you present so you can hear what he has to say because I got the impression from your report on your dealings with him that he knows something about the daemons. As my general, I would have thought that fact alone would make you want to pick his brain.”

  I simmered at her logic and refused to reply. Childish, petty, I didn’t care. Rafe brought out the human in me.

  A knock sounded. “Speaking of whom, that must be him.” Lily waved her hand and the door to her parlor swung open on her ghostly will.

  I turned away from the doorway and the man standing in it, but not before his image burned itself into my mind-and my heart beat sped up.

  I tried counting humans jumping over a fence-naked-to distract me, but the rumble of his voice shot that plan to hell.

  “Your majesty, thank you for seeing me.”

  Lily tittered and I gnashed my teeth. “Oh, Dr. Angelus, the pleasure is all mine.”

  “Please, call me Rafe.”

  While they made idle chit chatter and seated themselves, I paced over to the window and gazed down upon the inner bailey. The moonlight lit the courtyard and the blurring action of my troops. On my order, the vamps in my army practiced their daemon takedown skills to an avid audience. The sidelines were jammed with my newly allied shifter’s, Ursic at their head.

  The plan was to have the alphas learn what we knew of the daemons so they could devise strategies to incapacitate the dark creatures with the least amount of casualty possible. Their rapid healing ability made them, like the vamps, able to attempt the more daring moves that would kill a human. We’d vetoed the use of guns for battle because the risk of casualty to our own was much too high. Besides, the daemons fought with their fists, so the least we could do was beat them at their own sport.

  Watching my troops didn’t hold enough of my attention, the awareness of Rafe behind me too hard to ignore. I also couldn’t stall forever. I turned to face the man I both longed for and feared. When I finally awoke just before sundown I’d come to the realization that I cared for Rafe. More than cared. I didn’t want to see him hurt or killed, especially by me. The shock of it still had me reeling. Other than my queen and my children, lost to me a long time ago, I didn’t care for anyone. Not entirely inaccurate, I cared, but not to the crazy extent Rafe inspired. It had even occurred to me that I’d perhaps fallen in love with him. Ridiculous of course. The man was a liar and an admitted coward. But even knowing how much he pissed me off, I couldn’t help wanting to throw myself at him and at the same time protect him. These conflicting, so human emotions were why I had to get rid of him.

  This decision did not make me a happy vampire general and it showed in my tone when I interrupted. “Cut the crappy small talk. I think it’s about time you told us what you are. Then while you’re at it you can explain why you and your kind are too chickenshit to join us in our fight for survival.”

  Lily’s mouth rounded into an ‘O’ of surprise, but her eyes glinted with humor.

  Rafe’s eyes glittered as well, but I didn’t recognize the emotion in them.

  Lily spoke first. “I apologize for my general’s brash manner, but she does have a point, about divulging what you are that is.”

  Rafe sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Very well. But I warn you, it
’s kind of unbelievable.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Gee, and vamps, shapshifters and daemons aren’t?”

  He shot me a rueful smile before sucking in a breath to say, “I’m an angel, an archangel to be exact.”

  I laughed. “Fuck off. What do you take us for? Gullible ninnies?”

  Rafe stood and, with his blues eyes holding mine prisoner, he changed and my jaw hit the floor.

  Rafe grew taller, wider and began glowing bright enough to make my eyes hurt. But that was nothing compared to the massive snowy wings that sprang from his back.

  “Holy shit.” I sat down hard on a chair.

  “Believe me now?” he said with a wry grin and a flutter of his wings.

  “I think there’s no doubt your claim is true,” Lily replied dryly. “Now sit and tell us what we’re missing.”

  “Yeah, because if you’re an angel, then aren’t you guys supposed to fight daemons?” I hadn’t entered a church or read a bible in quite some time, not that it actually hurt me. I just didn’t see the point once I turned. But my recollections on angels were quite clear. The army of light fought that of darkness. Or used to. What changed?

  Rafe’s glow faded and his wings shrank until they disappeared again. He sat back down and I wanted to bang my head on the wall for not realizing from day one that he was far from a geeky human. How could I have missed the power residing in him? His otherness? His better than human good looks?

  I simmered silently on the chair I’d commandeered. It didn’t sit well that he’d so aptly pulled the wool over my eyes. I watched him with predatory eyes, looking for an outward sign of his angelic nature, but found nothing. One thing is for sure, if he’s an angel, then there`s no way we can ever get together. Forget about me killing him with my toxins, I bet Mr. Goody-two-shoes’ holy cum would probably kill me first.